Average passenger age drops by 11 years, new study finds
The average age of a cruise guest has come down by 11 years since 2019, according to a recent study by cruise specialist cruise.co.uk
The findings, which analysed almost 500,000 passengers, show that for bookings made to date in 2024 the average age is 55 years old, compared to 66 years old in 2019.
Factors attributed to the decrease include the growing trend for multi-generational travel and the holiday type’s growing appeal to younger audiences, driven by new ships featuring family-friendly attractions and itineraries showcasing more diverse destinations.
In similar findings, Cruise.co.uk’s online-only sister company, Seascanner, has also seen a decrease in their average booking age, with passengers booked in 2024 to date averaging 42 years, three years younger than bookings seen in 2022.
Tony Andrews, managing director of cruise.co.uk, said: “These findings are clear evidence of cruise’s growing appeal to a wider audience.
“As new ships and itineraries emerge, passengers of all ages are discovering that a holiday at sea offers a host of one-of-a-kind experiences, both onboard and ashore, with activities designed to appeal to all tastes. When coupled with unbeatable value for money, it really does make cruise the go-to getaway for more people than ever before.”
New study comes after uptick in short cruise breaks
Earlier this year, the company saw an increase in the popularity of shorter cruises of two to six nights, outselling longer departure options.
Shorter itineraries, which were deemed by the company as an “accessible choice” for new-to-cruise guests, are available with lines such as P&O Cruises, Celebrity Cruises and MSC Cruises, departing across the UK and overseas.
Among cruise.co.uk’s customers, sales of short voyages were up 42% year on year. The findings come after CLIA reported passengers from the UK & Ireland took a record 2.3 million holidays-at-sea in 2023.
